Turkish Santa Claus

Did you know that Santa Claus - aka St. Nicholas - was from the land now known as Turkey?

Recently here at People's Imports we have received two "Santa Claus" Kilims, flat woven rugs made in Turkey. This may seem odd, unless one considers the story of historical Saint Nicholas, along with the winter solstice god figures of pre-Christian Europe, one of the major inspirations for Santa Claus.

"[Nicholas] was from Myra, an ancient town in Lycia, where the small town of Kale (Demre) is situated today in present day Antalya Province of Turkey. It was located on the river Myros (Demre Çay), in the fertile alluvial plain between Alaca Dag, the Massikytos range and the Aegean Sea.
Demre is on the coast of the Teke peninsula, west of the bay of Antalya, with the Taurus Mountains behind...The mountains are forested and the coastal strip is made of good soil brought down by the mountain rivers."

"Saint Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor,
in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian
 with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes."
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas

The two kilims measure 36" x 44"  and are $95 each.

Yoruba and Benin tribal arts (part 2)

As seen on the maps above, modern-day Nigeria has many related but distinct tribal groups. The Benin are listed here as "Edo" (which they are also known by) and are placed just east of the Yoruba, and Ife' is basically along the line between the two. Additionally, there are both Yoruba and Benin folks in the Republic of Benin to the west of Nigeria, and in Cameroon to the east. This doesn't include, of course, any of either tribe living outside Africa due to the slave trades, which is a much larger amount.
So, for the rest of this blog and for the store, the Yoruba
and Benin may be seen as two sibling cultures, related but distinct
and individual with long-time sharing and rivalry.
 

WHICH SCULPTURES ARE YORUBA and WHICH IS BENIN?
"Benin Bronze" is really a catchphrase applied by the British archaeologists to all of the old bronze cast artifacts found at Ife' - Yoruba and Benin.

First, Katita noticed there seem to be some differences between the way Yoruba and Benin peoples traditionally see animals. The Benin seem to prefer sculpting animals who are for their use (as in, food sources or livestock, like the bronze chickens). Katita found a picture of Benin sculpture of humans holding a leopard by the neck.


The totemic portrayals of animals tend to be on Yoruba art, such as
birds in flight on a crown - connecting the spirit world to humans.
Ooni and Oba
The leaders of Ife' are sometimes referred to as "Ooni" (current
and formal leaders are listed on www.theooni.org
Ooni: and sometimes as "Oba" (which is also what the Benin Empire
call their leaders). There is also an Orisha (ancestor spirit/diety) of peace and balance, Obatala.

Yoruba beaded and bird-adorned
ceremonial crown

another Ooni/Oba excavated from Ife', which
we believe to be Yoruba

Headwear
"The [Ife' Bronze] figure wears a tight fitting cap with a large projecting,
phallic-like crest. Such caps and ornaments occur frequently in
Ife portraiture. This crown probably symbolizes the figure's royal status"
http://www.antiques.com/classified/1070907/Antique-Ife-Style-Bronze-Head---PF-6237b
The Yoruba seem to prefer portraying their Ooni/Oba (leader) with the
impressive phallic crown (see above), as a visual symbol of their leadership,
which really does work because it ALWAYS seems to get more attention.
The Benin, by contrast, portray their Oba in online photos* with an armorlike two-pronged crown, above the ears, matching some of our "Benin Bronze." On the same sites, the Queen is more often shown with a central (though curved) crest, interestingly.

Benin Oba (king) and Queen bronze heads

On Yoruba Beaded Crowns:
"A commanding bird at the top protects the powerful medicines inserted in the crown's summit.
Other birds may be added on the crown's body.
 Birds are symbols of the mystical powers of women whose support is needed for the oba to rule effectively"
http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/students/curriculum/m12/activity1.php
Each color represents a different orisha**:
White - Obatala; Red - Shango; Yellow - Oshun; Blue- Yemaya; Purple - Oya

For additional information, here is a Nigerian website group, each with it's own forum about Yoruba and Benin culture.
http://www.nairaland.com/282439/yoruba-people-voodoo-juju-culture
http://www.nairaland.com/721396/yoruba-benin-republic

*Here are examples of Benin art
http://www.randafricanart.com/Benin_Oba_commemorative_heads.html


Here are examples of Yoruba
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoruba_people


Here is some history of Yoruba and Ife' in the Bronze Age (migration from
the Nile to Ife'), and also some language: 100 Yoruba words related to Ancient Egyptian.
Did you know of the connection?
A summary:
"“The Yoruba history begins with the migration of an east
 African population across the trans-African route leading from
Mid-Nile river area to the Mid-Niger. Archaeologists, according
to M. Omoleya, inform us that the Nigerian region was inhabited
 more than forty thousand years ago, or as far back as
65,000BC.
During this period, the Nok culture occupied the region.
 The Nok culture was visited by the “Yoruba people”, between 2000BC and 500BC. This group of people was led,
according to Yoruba historical accounts by king Oduduwa,
 who settled peacefully in the already established Ile-Ife, the sacred city of the indigenous Nok people.

This time period is known as the Bronze Age, a time of high
civilization of both of these groups."

Here is the Yorubapedia, which has this in much more detail **plus detailed information about the Orishas:
http://yorubapedia.wikispaces.com/

The official website of Ife'
http://theooni.org/

It only gets more interesting, the more we find out! Perhaps this will continue into a third blog about West African Arts. Enjoy!
www.peoplesimports.com/store

Yoruba and Benin Tribal Arts (part 1)

the "Oba" or "Ooni" bronze cast king of Ife'

We have a lot of African sculpture in People's Imports...how to identify it all?

some pieces that caught my eye
 and some other pieces that get a lot of attention due to
-their fame within African art,
-weigh a lot,
-the very phallic crowns they wear

another "Benin Bronze" example

these would be the  Bronze Heads in the corner... famous from the British Museum archaeological excavations in the 1930s. Called the "Benin Bronze" by the Brits when they excavated the site of Ife' in western Nigeria in the 1930's. Ife' however is known as the traditional Yoruba homeland in oral and modern history.

...and the less warlike, beaded Yoruba animal decorations, hats
and statues which i immediately felt connected with.
"Why? ....

...and wait, so are the Bronzes Yoruba, Benin, or both? "
"...and so Benin
people are from Nigeria too? what is the relationship between
Benin and Yoruba?"

At this point Kat and i were working together on this project and both of us were feeling more connected with
these sculptures every week. A customer came in and bought beaded hats,
and we reorganized this part of the suzani room when more
merch came in....

Yoruba beaded belt with bird totem

Personally I was aware of the Orishas already, the ancestor spirits of the West African diaspora, brought to the Caribbean on the slave trade, from time spent in Georgia, along the Gulf of Mexico, and here in Arizona.
you may find candles and charms for these Orishas in
Botanicas /Spiritual Shops. Already I had connections to the
female Orishas and their empowerment.

I know of music that sings about Orishas, Santeria and Voodoo...songs about Yemaya and Oshun, Shango, Papa Legba (Ellegua), and Katita and
I could hear them singing in the art sitting in our store.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRDiN53KoFo
"Yemaya" by the Cuban musical artist, Celia Cruz

Some vivid dreams and inventory later, they are still singing to us
and the Bronze phallic statues too....

(to be continued...)

A NIGHT with the ZAMBEZI DOLLS

the Makishi Dancers of People's Imports

this poor dancer was returned

the "cosmic dancer"

Here at Peoples Imports, there are a lot of unusual items for sale. Some of them possibly remind folks of
voodoo dolls;  these could be due to cultural associations, and prejudices.
The only time an item has been returned due to "bad juju" has been with one of these four small "Zambezi Dolls." This interaction still bothers me a little to this day, so a little "exploration" is necessary.


Here is the doll that was returned. At the top are the dolls as a group.

 One of them is smaller, and has a more intense, tooth-bearing look than the others.  Initially I thought that he was portraying "scary" but after a few hours around him, he is the most intense dancer of all. Of the four, i call him the "cosmic dancer" ...as in Marc Bolan of T-Rex. I start imagining the four dancing together around the store, as a musical group. They are anything but "bad juju" - in fact, they have the same essence that made early rock and roll unsettling to 1950s America  - raw emotion.

The tags associate the dolls with "Makishi Dancers, Luvale People."
[Luvale are a Bantu speaking tribe related to Chokwe to the west (Angola), who are famous for their masks, which we carry in our retail store.]

"The Lovale, Chokwe, Luchazi and Mbunda are famous for the Makishi dancers who perform a masquerade in intricate masks and costumes." The names of the characters
include Pwebo and Chizaluke.
^ "The Makarishi Masquerade",
http://www.unesco.org/culture/intangible-heritage/42afr_uk.htm

The Makishi dancers are associated with coming-of-age ceremonies. "The Makishi attach themselves to the world of spirits and demons and, while dancing, lose their personal identity, becoming the character they portray."
http://soulsafari.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/even-more-african-tribal-dances-shangaan-makishi-dancers-

Here is video footage of the Makishi/Zambezi dancers from Victoria Falls area. It's pretty awe-inspiring.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyM3K61pzdILocations where Makishi dancing can be found include:
-Lusaka, Zambia - capital city, the 20th century city, at the southern end of the central plateau
-the middle/ lower Zambezi River valley, which divides Zambia and Zimbabwe, from Livingstone,  Zambia and Victoria Falls upstream to Kariba Lake downstream. 

Victoria Falls is at once a natural wonder and a colonial center where many old European developments and names remain.



What some might call "bad juju" most likely means "fear of primal emotions" and so, if you desire to have this
primal energy around, we have a few friends you might want to meet!

 

dancing around the store at night

DOLL DETAILS:
$30 each

8.5" tall "cosmic dancer", 3-4" wide
all others 11" tall, 3-5" wide
very light

material: Sweetgrass, Raffia, painted burlap, wire underframes
 
www.peoplesimports.com

Congo to Cuba

"Congo to Cuba"  - the Putumayo records* compilation - is no longer in stock by the label, but we used to sell it here, and it contains so many awesome memories from last year, including "Safiatou" by Mama Sissoko and "Yiri Yiri Boum" by Gnonnas Pedro. It makes us happy and want to dance with the Problem Solver (see first post) and drink Turkish tea (see previous post). If you come in our Tucson store these late summer days chances are you'll find us jamming out to these West African and Cuban rhythms while arranging some new wood and ceramic scupltures from Kenya, Guinea, and Mexico. Paz en El Barrio...Perdido!!

*Our store does have plenty of newer Putumayo records CD's in stock including "Latin Beat" and "African Beat" that will quench that musical thirst! Check out www.peoplesimports.com for more info about these and our other items.

cuffed

    So a costumer cuffed me! His name is kris. he bought a sumak. And now we are considering tea time. He told us a story of how when he bought rugs in Turkey: "This is just like buying rugs in turkey, except for they  serve you tea".

the big red Turkoman pile is back on the floor!

This week we put my favorite large rug back on the floor, in front of the stage! It's a soft red tribal pile rug from Turkmenistan, with the geometric black-line subtle pattern and soft wool, nice for sitting or dancing on. Turkmenistan is, by the way, that arid zone between Iran and Uzbekistan (homeland of the suzani tapestry) east of the Caspian sea, and just north of Mashhad, Iran's holy city, which geographically looks kind of like Tucson. 

Our store carries several smaller Turkoman tribal rugs also, though this big red one is a customer favorite. Come by and check it out in person! Or, you can get a glimpse of it here. It's 10' x 14' and retails for $10,000  - a desert palace furnishing like no other. 

More adventures in the suzani room

1979 Uzbek cotton/silk suzani, $200

  The suzani room of People's Imports: a place of bliss, history, and a little bit of mystery...where the trans-Saharan caravan and the Silk Road meet on a tapestry.  As we have rearranged the space by region and decorated the walls, old and new items keep telling us their stories.

Uzbek (Bukhara?) all-silk prayer suzani, $249

 First there was the classic Uzbek suzani signed and dated 1979, same year as the Iranian revolution and during the later period of Soviet rule. The artist still filled her canvas with nature's beauty and the gifts of the region's earth goddess, whom we found to have been Anahita. Then, the all-silk pink prayer suzani, unique in color and material, with palm trees and more Islamic iconography. A few moments with this one and we are watching an epic sunset at a bazaar in Bukhara. 

Uzbek prayer suzani, cotton/silk, $125

Then, as the Yoruba and Benin sculptures (both of Nigeria, more on that later) were organized by tribe, we filled the space beween them at the room's east end with our other prayer suzani. More classic in color and design, it also balances the Islamic with the nature-worship before it.

.

Thioup from Senegal, 100% cotton, $150

Lying on a wooden stool in the room is this yellow Thioup (cotton tapestry), newly arrived from Senegal. The printed floral pattern is much simpler then the suzani and is unlike anything else from Africa in the shop. The Thies region of Senegal (West Africa on the Atlantic) is known for its tapestries, and you can read more about them here.

Just another day in the temple we call the suzani room. Next time, Yoruba beadwork and Benin bronze go "head to head" on a Turkish wedding blanket.
 

Silver Rings from Taxco just arrived

the modern town of Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico

This week we have some new items in stock. First, a collection of beautiful silver rings from the famous silver mining town of Taxco, Mexico (about 80 miles south of Mexico City, north of Acapulco in the state of Guerrero, which has been hit by a major earthquake recently). There are about 30 rings, each a little different, but many with curved lines and spirals and other geometric patterns.

some of our collection of spiraling silver rings

The rings retail for $20 currently and are individually sized for average adult fingers. Come check out these awesome wearable works of art from Guerrero, Mexico!

About Taxco:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxco

Nimba's Male Mistery

Nimba

      
    One of my favorite things in the store is Nimba, a stylized four legged protector. I have found her mentioned in a number of books leading to discovering more pictures of her on the internet.
      The weird part of this search is any mention of her male counter part has been absent....

     So, this has inspired me to find out as much as possible about Nimba and even more about her mysterious male counter part. The worse part is I have a superstitious fear of mistaking any the masks or statues identities. I will post anything and everything I find!

Nimba's male

New Suzanni Room

      About a month ago a very engaging costumer, with a handful of visits already to People's Imports in just a few weeks finished with a purchase. The item although not much in price, size or glitz; an eight intwined African figure stand that collapses, when taken from the Suzanni room caused a cataclysm of change. First to go was the glass sheet that the stand held, along with six or so Benin bronze cast heads.
        As I stood before a room full of disorganization dishevelment (due to the unbarring of said stand) I came to a quick, easy decision (or so I thought). I would set the statues together with ones of there same style, tribe or location. The Benin bronze castings already took up the corner, then came the Yaruba head dresses and statues, followed by the tribes of the congo on south and finally cut off by the bed. The grouping fades away on the other side of the bed where Ari, Daltin and I have hung the pillow cases we have neatly all over the wall.

Amazing what one little missing piece can do to the picture of the entire puzzle!

Healing Gemstone Pendants (costumer search)

While cleaning one day, Ari and I found an interesting document buried and forgotten. Since then A thick simple typed up page titled Healing Gemstone Pendants has been sitting on top of People's main showcase. Then today a curious costumer named Kristin asked if we might have copies.

In all reality, this was deemed deserving of a re-do for your viewing:

Healing Gemstone 

Pendants

Aventurine- is a good luck stone, especially in financial matters. Stimulates creativity, intelligence and perception. A great healing stone, it gives a sense of mental and emotional well-being.

Amethyst- is said to remove stress. It is nature's grand cleanser and also functions as a spiritual stimulant. It can also enhance the dream state. Amethyst is the birthstone for the month of February.

Bloodstone- is considered a powerful healing stone with many magical properties. In ancient folklore, bloodstone was said to give off audible sounds as a guide. It gives one the ability to banish evil and negativity of all kinds.

Carnelian- is an energy booster. It helps the insecure person to find strength within them so they can come into their own. It is said to increase the appetite. In addition it can help with manifestation of one's desires, and brings good luck.

Citrine- is known as a "success" stone because it is said in folklore to promote success and abundance, especially in business and commerce. Its lore also says that it enhances mental clarity, confidence, happiness and will power. Citrine is purported to bring good fortune, sometimes in very unexpected ways.

Leopard Skin Jasper- helps discover and connect with one's animal totems or "power" animals. This is a protective stone, and it is particularly protective during shamanistic journeys.

Obsidian- Can be used to stimulate growth of the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual centers, and to provide strength in times of need. It further provides vitality to one's lifework and/or fulfillment of one's aspirations.

Quartz Crystal- remarkable tools for healing. Great protector and exquisite channelers and transmitter of divine energy. Crystals enhance pureness, clarity and depth. They cause one to be more clear and open.

Red Jasper- A gem stone of will power. Wearing red jasper jewelry it is said to stimulate a war like nature. And prepare one for conflict by giving energy and courage. Is thought bring protection from danger and dangerous situations.

Rose Quartz- Is a calming agent on the heart center, Healing any blocks that may exist. This quartz carries with it the quality of acceptance, forgiveness, and universal love.

Sodalite- Helps the wearer to think rationally and form logical conclusions. It is an excellent stone for working in groups as it helps the members to create an atmosphere of mutual trust and self esteem. Enhancing solidarity and enabling the group to establish common purpose and work together towards their goals.

Smokey Quartz- Can transform negative energy patterns. It tends to penetrate and dissolve energy fields which have been generated from negative forms, anger and resentment.
 
Tiger's Eye- Is a stone of protection that is also very grounding. It enhances integrity, will power, practicality and correct use of power. It is a stone that enhances good luck and brings prosperity often in the form of money. Especially protective during travel.

Ari and I have already discussed having a discussion regarding this post thru the comments of this blog and you are more than welcome to join in.

A SUZANI FOR SPRING

Suzani Room at People's Imports

The room on the side of People's Imports with the beds and multitude of African statues i like to call the "Suzani Room." Many customers ask what that means, and it has been that way since last October when a tall woman with dark hair and fashionable dress came in at the end of one slow weekday, looking for these beautiful bright tapestries ("suzanis") which had been half-hidden in a corner by a cabinet. She took her time examining every one of these, even after the store closed, asking us questions i should have known about the origin and design, and told us emphatically as she made her purchase that we should put these magnificent works of art in a more visible place. Honestly, her intent, type-A personality is the sort that often throws my laid-back self nervous, but her energy was unusually bright, like that of a goddess.


As Kat and i were given duties to swiftly redecorate this room for a private party that weekend, this woman's advice went through our minds. A day or so later, our friend Sierra throwing the party told us to make the room look more "flowery" and "goddess-inspired" - maybe with something like this (picking up one of the suzanis with a flowery circle at center). Serendipity. i mentioned our recent late-afternoon customer's similar suggestion and she responded that "well, goddesses can be demanding."

Detailed picture of People's star Suzani

So i picked up this suzani tapestry and hung it on the wall by the bed. The goddess would be pleased. Then i picked up another from the pile, and it was one of the most divine wall-hangings i had ever seen. Purple and huge spread out, with a pink eight-pointed star in the center -- a symbol associated with Isis and Inanna -- this one begged to be placed prominently. I hung it over a central doorway to the room i now called the "suzani room"....and then i hung up more, mostly dark swirly raspberry red with embroidered yellow and white flowers and green branches and the artist's signature. Later in the day we finished setup of the room.
it was my first redecorating project since starting, so i was pretty happy.
And, party time came, and the goddess was indeed pleased.

Fast-forward to March and the suzanis are still just as prominent, and with the coming of spring and collective retail remerchandising, it feels wrong to move them. In fact, new ones are coming in and they are just as beautiful and goddess-inspired. Circles, flowers, the seasons and the wheel of life: Persephone's voice echoes through as if via a scrying mirror.

Suzanis, embroidered tribal textiles from central Asia, notably Uzbekistan, are a landmark craft of nomadic Uzbek people and their land. The name origin is Persian (Farsi) and means "needlework." They are made from cotton and silk in a variety of colors and styles based on region and many are one of a kind. Traditionally they were made by or for girls and used as bride-dowry in marriage.
Uzbekistan, in the highlands of central Asia, is on the overland Silk Road from the Mediterranean to China by the mostly evaporated Aral Sea, and is the home of legendary Samarqand and its bazaars. Mostly windy desert and grassland savanna but mountainous and greener along its eastern end, it is a land of livestock herding and textile trading trying to recover from drought caused by massive irrigation projects by the Soviet government in the mid-20th century. The land has gone through Persian, Islamic, Mongol, Russian and Soviet rule before establishing autonomy in the early 1990's.

Uzbekistan

Symbols commonly represented in traditional suzanis include:
Pomegranates/Fruits/Red colors - fertility, abundance, blood, mother earth. Hellenic/Mediterranean influence from the west, beginning with Alexander "the great" of Macedonia
Vines/Grapes - Hellenic influence
Boteh (paisley, teardrop) - Persian influence from the south, seen on Persian rugs
Tulips, Hyacinths - Persian "oasis/garden" influence, seen on Persian rugs
Yellows, Browns - the desert or grassland
Palak/Circle/wheel - seasons and the sun, continuity, survival. pre-Islamic Uzbek/Turkic highland tribal, across mountain ranges and once all of Central Asia.
Many-pointed star with dots surrounding/Dark blues, purples - the heavens: sun, moon, and orbiting planets. pre-Islamic Central Asian tribal.

The silk material historically was the main trade from India and the lands south and east of the Hindu Kush mountain range. Cotton grows on the Uzbek steppe and is a traditional export crop.

People's newest Suzani features the wheel motif

The suzani fabric's softness and size make it perfect for blankets, throws, wall hangings, or shawls. We have some rectangular pieces and some square, many with red, burgundy, or black field, but also yellow or brown fields speckled with tiny mirrors. In the modern day. they are also made into pillows, dresses, and tablecloths, and the motifs are found across the textile industry from fashion boots to rugs. Some rugs in our store from Afghanistan and around central Asia are labeled "suzani" noting the silk embroidery on them, though the patterns are unique to those lands and local cultures.

If you find yourself wanting to decorate for spring or honor the divine feminine with bright colors and tribal symbols of nature, the stars, and the seasons, we can show you some tapestries that tell a girl's life work or a story of the fruits of a desert crossroad.

sources:

http://www.bukhara-carpets.com/making/suzani.html
Wikipedia: Uzbekistan
www.uzbek-crafts.com

An Introduction

Arianna and "The Peace Keeper"

  Here in the dusty desert of Tucson hidden amoungst The Lost Barrio is our shop or maybe it's a gallery, called People's Imports! This place houses treasures that have traveled here from around the world. Arianna and I (Kat) have an understanding in Tribal kilims (as well as other weaves), Suzanis, African instruments (Djembes, Balafons, etc.) and Lapis (along with many other kinds of) jewlery!

Kat and a few Burmese puppet

 


    As we discover more and more about these amazing things from exotic lands we will bring you along and keep you updated on what the store is doing! From new products to sales to parties, Ari and I will do our best to keep you updated and informed!
  

    People's Imports

276 S. Park Ave.

(520) 903-1202